The Red Bull Ring has it all. Every section of the track demands absolute precision and timing from the DTM drivers. In 2022 – almost to the day – reigning champion and local hero Thomas Preining won his home race at Spielberg, and he is optimistic for this weekend too: “The chances are good. I’ve always been fast here in the past, and the car feels very good so far. I will definitely be going flat out.”
Start and Turn 1
Thomas Preining: “The start is crucial. As you come into the Niki Lauda Turn, you have to brake late, then hit the accelerator early, but in a controlled manner. A word of warning, though: the steepness of the incline should not be underestimated. Spinning tyres are not uncommon here, but good traction makes all the difference. Next comes Turn 3 which is approached at maximum speed.”
Facts:
Turn 1 (Niki Lauda Turn): second gear, 100 kilometres per hour 110 km/h
Turn 2: fifth gear, 240 kilometres per hour
Turn 3 – Overtaking spot par excellence
Thomas Preining: “This is my favourite part of the track – my pulse rate goes up here. Turn 3 presents the best opportunity for overtaking at the Red Bull Ring. The fans are going to see a lot of action here at the weekend. Good braking performance is the key, and that’s exactly where our car excels.”
Facts:
Turn 3: first gear, 60 kilometres per hour
Turn 5 - Watch out, skid risk!
Thomas Preining: “We accelerate out of Turn 3 towards the next hairpin at Turn 5. Overtaking is extremely difficult here. The braking zone is usually very slippery and the rear end often feels twitchy, especially when braking downhill. The corner exit counts double here, as this is followed by a short straight between the two left-handers T6 and T7.”
Facts:
Turn 4: second gear, 90 kilometres per hour
Turn 5: fourth gear, 210 kilometres per hour
Turn 6 und 7 – Timing ist alle
Thomas Preining: “Both corners are taken in third gear, and you have to keep up the speed as best you can. In the middle of Turn 7, you have to gently step on the gas again to carry momentum through the exit. This is important, because after that it’s uphill towards the Jochen Rindt Turn.”
Facts:
Turn 6: third gear 150 kilometres per hour
Turn 7: third gear, 130 kilometres per hour
Last sector: A test of courage
Thomas Preining: “This is where it gets really tense! Turn 9 demands absolute determination. You have to throw your car into it while paying attention to the track limits at the same time. It’s exactly the same in Turn 10. As soon as you get through here cleanly, it’s time to step on the gas early and hit the home straight at high speed.”
Facts:
Turn 8 (Jochen Rind Turn): third gear, 180 kilometres per hour
Turn 9: fourth gear, 160 kilometres per hour
Turn 10: third gear, 140 kilometres per hour
Great motorsport festival for the whole family
Things really get down to business tomorrow with qualifying and the first of two races. A great motorsport festival awaits you with Austrian racing aces in the driver field, open paddock, autograph sessions, pit walk and VIP talks with sports stars (Olympic rowing champion Oliver Zeidler, Hahnenkamm winner Thomas Dreßen and Dakar Rally winner Matthias Walkner). Tickets are available at the box office every day from 08:00.
